Displaceable support for an electric indicating device

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a support for an electric indicating device in a cover plate, which can be secured to a base plate, the indicating device protruding through an opening in an housing or the cover plate and being swingable around one edge of the opening for adjustment of its operating position, by means of guide paths arranged laterally on the indicating device, which cooperates with guide parts arranged on the cover plate, such that the guide parts of the device and the guide parts of the cover plate come into engagement to operate as guide paths for the electric indicating device.

United States Patent 1 Broghammer 1 Apr. 15, 1975 [54] DISPLACEABLE SUPPORT FOR AN 3,232,566 2/1966 Eiscnberg 248/27 ELECTRIC INDICATING DEVICE 3,337.076 8/l967 Ast 248/27 X Werner Broghammer, Tennenbronn. Germany Inventor:

Assignee: Firma Dual Gebruder Sticdinger, Georgen/Black Forest, Germany Filed: Oct. 5, 1973 Appl No.: 403,894

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Beyerstedt 3 l 2/22 X IIIIIIIII'III Primary Examiner-Casmir A. Nunberg [57] ABSTRACT The present invention relates to a support for an electric indicating device in a cover plate, which can be secured to a base plate, the indicating device protruding through an opening in an housing or the cover plate and being swingable around one edge of the opening for adjustment of its operating position, by means of guide paths arranged laterally on the indicating device, which cooperates with guide parts arranged on the cover plate, such that the guide parts of the device and the guide parts of the cover plate come into engagement to operate as guide paths for the electric indicating device.

3 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures DISPLACEABLE SUPPORT FOR AN ELECTRIC INDICATING DEVICE The present invention relates to an adjustable support for an electric indicating device.

Since upon the repair of the device on the one hand a housing or a cover plate must be removed. while on the other hand it must remain operable. the cover plate is frequently secured to the apparatus. The same also applies to the manufacture of the entire apparatus. when it is to be tested without the cover plate. Such an arrangement has the disadvantage that the openings in the housing or of the cover plate must be amply dimensioned. in order to be able to compensate for the manu facturing tolerances and in particular the mounting tolerances. in this connection there are unavoidably produced asymmetrically located gaps. which give a poor appearance to the apparatus. In order to eliminate this disadvantage. it is known to place the indicating device on the apparatus in a bed of foam plastic. so that the housing or the cover plate upon the placing on thereof can take over in the guiding by means of a relatively narrowly adapted cutout. The disadvantage of this arrangement resides in the fact. that upon the manufacturing test or a repair of the device. the latter remains attached loosely to its feedline. resulting in a cumbersome handling. with the possibility also of easy damage; in particular it would be difficult to use such a fastening for an adjustable mounting or holding.

It is one object of the present invention to provide an adjustable holder for an electric indicating device. wherein the indicating device contains laterally spaced apart a slide path located circularly with respect to the imaginary axis of swinging. which slide path is pressed by spring means. arranged on the support in the direction out of the device and against first and second mating pieces. The first mating piece is arranged on the device itself and the second in such a manner on the housing or cover plate that after the housing or the cover plate has been placed on. only the latter rests against the slide path of the indicating device.

With these and other objects in view. which will become apparent in the following detailed description. the present invention. which is shown by example only. will be clearly understood in connection with the accompanying drawing. in which:

FIG. 1 is a section through the apparatus with the indicating device; and

FIG. 2 is a sectional view along the lines ll-ll of FIG. 1.

Referring now to the drawing, an indicating device 3 protrudes from an opening 1 provided in a cover plate 2 secured to a base plate 7. by any conventional means. To the side of the opening 1, segment-shaped supporting parts 4 are arranged on the indicating device 3. On the housing of the indicating device 3 or on the cover plate 2 there are arranged laterally shell-shaped projections 6 which form a circular slide path 5 with which they are pressed by means of a spring wire 8 supported on the base plate 7 against the correspondingly shaped segmental supporting parts 4 of the cover plate 2 which serve as a mating piece. The center point 9 of the circular slide path 5 lies on the upper edge 11 of the lower side ofthe opening 1 in the cover plate 2, as a result of which the indicating device 3 can be swung by gripping of its upper edge It) around an imaginary axis. which lies precisely at the upper edge of the lower side of the opening I. so that in each position of swing of the indicating device 3. which depends on the manner of operation of the apparatus. a tight closure is assured between the indicating device 3 and the cover plate 2. As a result of the supporting of the indicating device 3 in the covering plate 2. a relatively exact fit of the indicating device 3 in the opening is. of course. also possible laterally. In this connection it is immaterial. whether the supporting places l2, 13 of the spring 8 which are retained on the base plate 7 assume a somewhat different position with respect to the cover plate 2.

If the cover plate 2 is removed from the apparatus. the slide paths 5 present on the indicating device 3 rest under the action of the spring 8 against the opposing pieces 14 located on the base plate 7 of the apparatus. so that despite the removal of the cover plate 2. a dependable supporting of the indicating device 3 is retained. which supporting is safe as to operation.

A particularly good supporting of the indicating device 3. which is practically equivalent in its properties to those which it has. when the cover plate 2 is mounted thereon. is obtained if the spring .8 is adapted to the shape of the shell-shaped projections 6.

While I have disclosed one embodiment of the present invention. it is to be understood that this embodiment is given by example only and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. A support for an indicating device comprising a cover plate. adapted to be supported by a base plate.

said cover plate having an opening.

an electric indicating device received in said opening of said cover plate.

a holding means for the adjustable holding of said electric indicating device in said cover plate. said holding means further including segment-shaped supporting parts. secured to said indicating device.

said holding means including further lateral shellshaped projections to form a circular slide path. the center point of said circular slide path lying on the upper edge of the lower side of said opening in said cover plate. in order to permit a swinging movement of said indicating device about an imaginary axis disposed at the upper edge of said lower side of said opening in said cover plate. bringing about a tight closure between said indicating device and said cover plate. and

a spring wire supported on said base plate and engaging the bottom of said lateral shell-shaped projections to urge the latter towards said segmentshaped supporting parts.

2. The support. as set forth in claim 1, wherein said segment-shaped supporting parts and said shell shaped projections define mating members for performing said circular movement of said indicating device. and said spring wire is complementary to the shape of the outer side of said shell-shaped projections and rests against said outer side of the latter.

3. A support for an indicating device comprising a cover plate. adapted to be supported by a base plate.

said cover plate having an opening.

an electric indicating device received in said opening of said cover plate.

holding means constituting first guide parts arranged h the said indicating device and said cover plate. on both sides of said opening of the adjustable said first guide parts cooperating with said circular holding of said electric indicating device in said M paths fg id l i i di i (lgvicgi F Pl opposing pieces. constituting second guide parts. on said holding means comprising segment-shaped sup- 5 both Sides ofsuid Opening disposed in Said appurm porting parts secured to said electric indicating device. and including lateral shell'shaped projections to form a circular slide path. the center point of said circular slide path lying on the upper edge of the lower side of said opening in said cover plate. to f i in order to permit a swinging movement of said insprmg mums illswncd m 51ml llpplmllm and resting dicating device about an imaginary line disposed at lmdcr initial lhnsilm against Said Slldc P in the upper edge of said lower side of said opening direction towards said second guide parts in said cover plate. bringing about a tight closure slide paths. in order to provide selectively a support Ins and adapted for cooperation with said circular for said electric indicating device upon removal of UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE QETH EQATE Q QQECHON Patent No. 5 Dated April 15, 1.975

Invent "clerner Broggnammer It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

on the Cover Sheet, in item W5] "Stiedinger" should read Steidinger and "Georgen/Black Forest" should and tale is fifth of August1975 [SEAL] A rresr: 

1. A support for an indicating device comprising a cover plate, adapted to be supported by a base plate, said cover plate having an opening, an electric indicating device received in said opening of said cover plate, a holding means for the adjustable holding of said electric indicating device in said cover plate, said holding means further including segment-shaped supporting parts, secured to said indicating device, said holding means including further lateral shell-shaped projections to form a circular slide path, the center point of said circular slide path lying on the upper edge of the lower side of said opening in said cover plate, in order to permit a swinging movement of said indicating device about an imaginary axis disposed at the upper edge of said lower side of said opening in said cover plate, bringing about a tight closure between said indicating device and said cover plate, and a spring wire supported on said base plate and engaging the bottom of said lateral shell-shaped projections to urge the latter towards said segment-shaped supporting parts.
 2. The support, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said segment-shaped supporting parts and said shell-shaped projections define mating members for performing said circular movement of said indicating device, and said spring wire is complementary to the shape of the outer side of said shell-shaped projections and rests against said outer side of the latter.
 3. A support for an indicating device comprising a cover plate, adapted to be supported by a base plate, said cover plate having an opening, an electric indicating device received in said opening of said cover plate, holding means constituting first guide parts arranged on both sides of said opening of the adjustable holding of said electric indicating device in said cover plate, said holding means comprising segment-shaped supporting parts secured to said electric indicating device, and including lateral shell-shaped projections to form a circular slide path, the center point of said circular slide path lying on the upper edge Of the lower side of said opening in said cover plate, in order to permit a swinging movement of said indicating device about an imaginary line disposed at the upper edge of said lower side of said opening in said cover plate, bringing about a tight closure by the said indicating device and said cover plate, said first guide parts cooperating with said circular slide paths of said electric indicating device, opposing pieces, constituting second guide parts, on both sides of said opening disposed in said apparatus and adapted for cooperation with said circular slide paths, in order to provide selectively a support for said electric indicating device upon removal of said cover plate, and spring means fastened to said apparatus and resting under initial tension against said slide paths in the direction towards said second guide parts. 